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If the lack of an extended squad of fit players, with depth in most (if not all) positions and plenty of competition for places is the reason for the Sharks’ patchy form in Super Rugby 2012 to date – a recent article on the Sharks Rugby website seems to suggest this very thing – then the good news is, we fans should expect things to go much more smoothly starting this weekend.

In fact, with the exception of Ross Skeate and Julian Redelinghuys (both out until June) and Alistair Hargreaves (who I doubt will play again anyway), the Sharks now have everybody else available for selection. The headache for the coaches now becomes who to leave out, rather than who to pick. For this week, at least, the surplus could work out in favour of the Sharks XV, since no eligibility restrictions apply to the quarter-final round of the Vodacom Cup; in other words, anyone who misses out on Sharks selection for the Highlanders game could play against the Bulls in the curtain-raiser. If the team should progress to the semi-final, however, any player who has played Super Rugby more than 3 times in 2012 will not be eligible for selection.

Beast Mtawarira’s expected return at loosehead should see Dale Chadwick drop out – if not all the way to the Sharks XV then probably to the bench, where he’ll no doubt fight with Wiehahn Herbst for a spot. The amazing Vodacom Cup form of Kyle Cooper should see him raise questions at least about the permutations at hooker, while all of Anton Bresler, Jandre Marais and Pieter-Steph du Toit will be in the running to partner Steven Sykes at lock.

It’s at loose forward, though, where the biggest headache will come, with Keegan Daniel, Marcell Coetzee, Willem Alberts, Ryan Kankowski, Jacques Botes and Jean Deysel all vying for at most 5, but probably only 4 spots in the match 22. With the coaches having acknowledged how vital it is to win all of the next 5 matches, one would fancy that continuity in selection will be crucial in terms of the forwards building synergy and momentum. In other words, with all the players rested and fit, we should expect the Sharks to now settle on their best forward combination and pick that same unit consistently.

Scrumhalf is one position where depth remains a concern, with nobody other than the young Cobus Reinach really pushing incumbent Charl McLeod, so it’s hard to see the Sharks opting for a halfback combination of anyone other than the latter and Pat Lambie. With Odwa Ndungane back to fitness, though, there are numerous permutations available amongst the rest of the back line positions, with Paul Jordaan in particular making a strong selection claim with his play in the Vodacom Cup. Lwazi Mvovo has been cleared to take his place on the left wing after a nasty hit against the Chiefs a fortnight ago, but right wing is up for grabs with any of Ndungane, incumbent Louis Ludik or JP Pietersen in the running. Should Pietersen move back to wing, Jordaan or Tim Whitehead could run at 13, with Meyer Bosman at 12 if the latter is preferred.

With Ludik no longer needed as a makeshift wing, it will be interesting to see whether he is picked at fullback in place of the strangely off-colour Riaan Viljoen. While Ludik has, in the past, been berated for a perceived lack of attacking threat, few can argue that his defensive play would be a cut above the error-strewn showings we’ve come to expect from former Griquas man Viljoen.

The ball, in summary, is back in the Sharks coaches’ court. Your injury problems are over; now to pick the best combination you can and show us how well they can play.

121 Comments

The sharks have no excuses now.They have a full compliment of players and enough game breakers to give the highlanders a hiding at home.The beast is back and im sure he is ready to give some big hits and make an impact in the scrum..Going to be a massive game…

Comment 1, posted at 02.05.12 08:05:21 by shaniboi

This should make for an interesting team announcement.

Not sure if Kanko will walk into the team after his showing in the XV game.

If Beast is ready, play him, bit I would hesitate to just drop Chadwick if Beast isn’t 100% ready.

I know its unlikely, but a full front row on the bench won’t hurt!

Jordaan should be left to shine at XV, he will get very little time on the park with the senior squad, and this could harm his Baby Boks claim.

@Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) : Julian is more a 3 than a 1, Rich… he can play both sides, but I honestly doubt he’d be picked ahead of Dale at 1. They are both the same age and with the injuries Julian has had, I’d say he’s behind Herbst in the pecking order – so probably third-choice tighthead at the moment.

Comment 5, posted at 02.05.12 08:22:29 by robdylan

Pity if they drop Chadwicks to the bench or to the sharks xv, he got thrown into the deep end and really put his hand up, to me the forms he is in now is truly better than the beast(my favorite player).the beasts fitness has improved but still to many mistakes at scrum time all going to penalties ,let’s hope this week’s training pays off.Talking about the loose forwards a lot of choices but the players standing out who are hungry for rugby are Deysel and Coetzee what a decision to make well good luck Plum

There is enough talent in the squad, but the reason for the Sharks’ bad play is because the leading teams have Apps we do not. This is a set we have lacked since last season.

We lack the following KILLER APPS:

HANDLING:
We can not handle a rugby ball, from our juniors to our seniors. If you measure us against the top teams in any competition it becomes unashamedly obvious. We knock on in the line-out, on attack, in defence and even in the shower!
When we move the ball, the passes are so inaccurate that the receiver has to slow down, jump or stretch. Once this happens, the movement is over! Forward passes are also a majour problem.
It is this app that has made the Crusaders 7 x champion.

JUDGMENT:
The sharks show very little judgment when kicking and receiving the ball from a kick-off. We kick the ball away to attacking teams; can not find the touchline or distance to relieve pressure. We try to run balls out of our 25m at a kick-off but we kick the ball in our opponents’ 25? This keeps us bogged down in our half. This App has made the Bulls 3 x champs.

DISCIPLINE:
We lack discipline. Some players are above the team and captain. This App is essential!

UNITY:
The support play is absent some time. When we support, we score and we score beautiful. But we are still too slow for players to off load like the Chiefs and Saders and even the Bulls. This App is the certain champ maker of the Reds and Saders!

ACCURACY:
We focus on either defence or attack. When the game plan is concentrated on the one, the other falls behind. Examples include: Attack against Canes, Defence against Chiefs.

REFEREE:
We have been served with the NZ killer app. Their bad referees! Even on our own turf SANZAR has seen to it that we get a NZ ref when we play a NZ team!

From the above apps we can not fully correct the last one, but it is a shame that the apps we miss are the most basic of rugby apps that our most talented players seem to short.

I also hope it turns out looking like that. Regarding scrummie back up in the future, i want to see Rory Kockett back in Durban soon.

Comment 21, posted at 02.05.12 10:27:46 by JJR

@KILLER SHARK (Comment 20) : Sharks are actually second in competition on off-loads 125 after Highlanders 149. Ironically the two best performing SA teams are right at the bottom as far as off-loads – Stormers 60 and Bulls 41

I agree with you support play is good in patches, but lets us down most of the game

Comment 22, posted at 02.05.12 10:52:50 by Bokhoring

@KILLER SHARK (Comment 20) : @Bokhoring (Comment 22) : The Support Play and Offloading apps should be bundled together. We probably lead the “offloading into fresh air” stats due to our poor support play.

Comment 23, posted at 02.05.12 11:02:40 by Culling Song

@Bokhoring (Comment 22) : Thanx for the stats. I see our boys going into the gaps and then fail to off-load.

@Culling Song (Comment 23) : I am sure Verusco classifies an off-load as one that is successfully caught.

Personally I think the worst stat is leading the pack in missed tackles 215 = with Highlanders best at 125

The problem is that I see us stuffing up attacks in the 22 by bad handling, ruck turnovers and poor decisions. We often do well to work our way into the 22 and then the boys seems to just loose concentration.

Comment 25, posted at 02.05.12 11:11:31 by Bokhoring

We are desperate for a decent scrumhalf. McLeod is decent but he is no where near good enough. Freddy has lost form and I am sure Toulon are regretting signing him right about now. Is Hoffmann still out injured?

Comment 26, posted at 02.05.12 11:23:23 by lostfish

@Culling Song (Comment 23) : Not to forget the upfield darts with no support and getting turned over.

Comment 27, posted at 02.05.12 11:26:12 by lostfish

@lostfish (Comment 27) : Wouldn’t that be included in our lack of support play?

Comment 28, posted at 02.05.12 11:35:35 by Butchie34

We`ve been chopping and changing all year. Lets give Whitehead and Jordaan the centre jerseys and leave them there.

Viljoen is nowhere near consistent enough to play fullback at this level – sorry to say it.

Comment 34, posted at 02.05.12 12:38:00 by robdylan

cant understand why the Sharks with so many good names on paper struggle this much. This is make or break for them.

Comment 35, posted at 02.05.12 12:38:33 by PaarlBok

@PaarlBok (Comment 35) : Something that plagued the Stormers for years.

Comment 36, posted at 02.05.12 12:41:05 by Salmonoid

And here we are on a Wednesday descussing how good sertain idividual players are and how likely we can win the game on satarday. Just like we said we would two weeks ago. Well at least we got that prediction right.

Comment 37, posted at 02.05.12 12:46:59 by Quintin

@Quintin (Comment 37) : To be honest I haven’t seen anyone saying that we WILL win on Saturday. Just discussing what our best players are or aren’t.

@Salmonoid (Comment 36) : And all solved with a proper coach… if only Brian van Zyl and the rest of the board would realise this.

Comment 38, posted at 02.05.12 12:49:28 by Butchie34

I would be super chuffed to see JPP back on the wing and Jordaan at 13. Thinking maybe Jordaan should get proper runs off the bench at 13 first, like 20 minutes off the bench for one or two games, before we give him the starting shirt. If we bring him straight into the starting XV, we might want to try him in the 14 jersey and he then plays 13 on attack and 14 on defence. JPP 13 on defence.

@robdylan (Comment 34) : Viljoen has great ability; but his mistakes are becoming very costly, so it would be great to have solid Ludik at 15(as u say) with very attacking wingers. But if we worried about Ludik on attack, i reckon we should give Ndungane a run at 15, he is always solid, his kicking has improved tons the last few years and he is better on attack than Ludik, so i say why not?

@Butchie34 (Comment 38) : Get Piet Snor, he is running around in Paarl, looking for a coaching job.

Comment 41, posted at 02.05.12 12:56:14 by PaarlBok

@robdylan (Comment 40) : Indeed correct; but we have never tried it, and even as a wing he kinda plays like a 15 anyways, he doesn’t make stupid errors…i mean i even saw Ludik in one of the games when it was clear he must kick/clear, he instead ran into 3 guys and we lost the ball. Ndungane seems to make wiser choices. IMO.

Comment 42, posted at 02.05.12 12:56:39 by JJR

Plumtree is doing Meyer no favour by playing Lampie in 10. He should play 15.

Comment 43, posted at 02.05.12 12:58:50 by PaarlBok

@PaarlBok (Comment 43) : Problem is Lambie is the best 10 for the Sharks by miles – next best is Bosman and then Michalak

Comment 44, posted at 02.05.12 13:00:31 by Bokhoring

@Butchie34 (Comment 38) : Thats why I said likely. Should have used possible. But now that you mention it, none of us were really convinced before any game that we WILL win? Maybe just the Lions game.

Comment 45, posted at 02.05.12 13:02:29 by Quintin

@Bokhoring (Comment 44) : Well Plumtree show this time and again, not playing them in their best position. He aint doing Lampie & JPP any favours like he did with Pienaar & Frans Steyn. Waisting players careers this way.

And as for his best position, I have yet to see anyone put forward a compelling reason to suggest hat he’s a better fullback than a flyhalf.

Comment 47, posted at 02.05.12 13:08:16 by robdylan

In Plumtree’s defence he did allow Ruan to play in his favourite position – when Piet Snor wanted him at 10. Ruan stuffed up Ruan’s career with his sulking in my opinion. Compare him with Hougaard who quite happily played at wing even though he prefers the 9

Comment 48, posted at 02.05.12 13:10:16 by Bokhoring

@robdylan (Comment 47) : P fits me better, he is the shining star in the team. He is not a big punter of the ball and if you get him in 15 you have both worlds let him slot on attack in 10 and move him in the second 10 position from scrums in the midfield. I’ll play Michalak in 10 but then Plumtree is doing the same thing with him. Playing in 9 and out of position.

Comment 49, posted at 02.05.12 13:11:43 by PaarlBok

@robdylan (Comment 47) : Well up to now ” Lampie ” has been our only source of light in an ever darkening tunnel of dispair . . .

Comment 50, posted at 02.05.12 13:13:42 by Original Pierre

@PaarlBok (Comment 49) : but we used Michalak at 10 all Currie Cup and he was utter kak… The rest of the team cannot understand what he’s doing.

The Sharks backs generally look a cut above with Lambie at 10. At the very least, far better than when Fred is there. Even Bosman has looked better at 10 than Fred has.

@PaarlBok (Comment 49) : Overall in the SA situation I think Goosen is going to own the Bok 10 jersey – provided he can stay in one piece. I think Lambie is a great player too – but he does not have the sheer talent this kid has.

So there is an argument for Lambie’s Bok prospects for him to move to 15

Comment 54, posted at 02.05.12 13:16:39 by Bokhoring

@Bokhoring (Comment 54) : that’s a bit of a defeatist mentality, isn’t it? Before Goosen has actually managed to complete a season of Super Rugby, we’re already deciding that there’s no way Pat can ever be a better flyhalf than him so moving our man around.

I say bullshit. Pat Lambie has showed his class – AT FLYHALF – in Super Rugby and is by no means out of the running for a Bok callup in that position. Meyer himself pointed out flaws in Goosen’s game and told him to go back to the Cheetahs to work on them. If he’d really been a shoo-in for Bok 10 like all the SBR fan-boys seem to think he is, then surely Meyer wouldn’t have sent him to the Under 20 squad?

Comment 55, posted at 02.05.12 13:20:07 by robdylan

@Butchie34 (Comment 28) : Yes but just emphasizing it seeing as that part of the convo was talking about offloads.

Comment 56, posted at 02.05.12 13:24:54 by lostfish

@robdylan (Comment 55) : Not really – I can respect great talent when I see it – even when it does not wear a Sharks jersey.

I agree Lambie is still in the Bok picture, mainly because Goosen is still a bit of a rough diamond and Meyer does like to blood youngsters slowly. Given test rugby is also not super rugby.

In the end it is up to Lambie to decide where he wants to play, but I for one would not mind both these guys in the same Bok team

Comment 57, posted at 02.05.12 13:25:51 by Bokhoring

@robdylan (Comment 55) : He didn’t do his rep any harm when he went on the field for the Boks when they were on the backfoot and losing games. Everyone is really keen to chuck Lambie when something brighter comes along. Lambie is a more complete player than Goosen at the moment.

Comment 58, posted at 02.05.12 13:29:42 by lostfish

@Bokhoring (Comment 48) : Ruan is one player who could’ve benefitted immensely from having a head Dr in the team. He could have been a Larkham style 10 but he isn’t strong enough mentally do deal with setbacks on the field and allows silly things to get at him and interfere with his performance.

Comment 59, posted at 02.05.12 13:31:50 by lostfish

Don’t forget about Elton Jantjies

Comment 60, posted at 02.05.12 13:32:43 by JarsonX

@PaarlBok (Comment 49) : Michalak has been signed by Toulon as a 9. That is the only position that they will look at him for, so it is what he is playing at the Sharks unless there is a crisis at 10. They have a cupboard full of world class 10′s. He needs to find some form at scrumhalf, I just wish he could have justified his salary at the Sharks. At the moment he is being paid to be there without giving anything back in the way of performance.

Comment 61, posted at 02.05.12 13:34:55 by lostfish

@lostfish (Comment 59) : Often wished Ruan just had the confidence of a Frans Steyn

Comment 62, posted at 02.05.12 13:38:09 by Bokhoring

@Bokhoring (Comment 54) : Lampie isnt the same class as Goosen. The kid is one huge talent and before getting injured he out perform not only the SA 10 but everyone playing S15 rugby. The sooner he play 10 for the Bokke the better. Lampie should play in 15, not that Goosen cant play there aswell. He often does for the Cheetahs.

Comment 63, posted at 02.05.12 13:41:26 by PaarlBok

@PaarlBok (Comment 43) : I think you’ve put your socks in a pipe and lit them. While playing well at FB, his class shines through at Flyhalf.

Lambie is definitely in the same class as Goosen. Remember the huge impact Lambie had in his first season as well. Goosen is good in his first season but wait until the opposition have had a chance to study him and work out a strategy against him.

Lambie has moved on from that first season and is still showing he’s in the same class as thought.

Comment 64, posted at 02.05.12 13:44:56 by Butchie34

@Butchie34 (Comment 64) : You want me to pull out the stats? Goosen out kicked, out assist tries, making the most metres, just about every stat this year then any other 10. Lampie is a good attacker but not even close in punting a ball like Goosen. Goosen is a Morne Steyn and Lampie combination in one plus he is still wet behind the ears but playing with an experiense cool head. The Cheetahs aint the same without him, not even close.

Comment 65, posted at 02.05.12 13:48:23 by PaarlBok

@PaarlBok (Comment 65) : Don’t pull out stats. I’m saying that in his first year Lambie was the same where he out-stated everyone!! And you can’t argue that the Sharks are the same team without Lambie. We’ve seen it this year and last year when he was out injured that the team doesn’t play as well with him in it.

Comment 66, posted at 02.05.12 13:51:48 by Butchie34

@Butchie34 (Comment 66) : I agree with you both actually – Lambie is a very important player for the Sharks and by far the best 10 we have. He also would be a very good fly half for the Boks. But I still believe Goosen has the potential to be one of the great Bok fly halves. Obviously anything can happen still

Comment 67, posted at 02.05.12 13:59:48 by Bokhoring

Any news on the signing of Frans Steyn? That story has gone a bit quiet!

@robdylan (Comment 69) : Its a ploy by the Sharks should we not make the play offs they will say, don’t worry fans about the reasons we finished out of play offs, all is not last we have signed Francois!

@robdylan (Comment 31) : Rob, I have a feeling you know something that we don’t!!! Disclose, pointless keeping it to yourself…

Comment 71, posted at 02.05.12 14:48:50 by GreatSharksays

@GreatSharksays (Comment 71) : I often come upon information that I’m not at liberty to disclose.

This is, unfortunately, one of those times.

Comment 72, posted at 02.05.12 14:50:11 by robdylan

@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 70) : Agree 50%; Steyn deal is done and dusted i believe, i think they holding the announcement and might want to use it to soften the blow of a possible superugby tournament without silverware in our hands.

Sharks will make the playoffs(I believe), what happens from there is anyone’s guess; but an away game gainst Chiefs or Crusaders will be bladdy difficult…i think we have a solid chance with a full squad to beat anyone else away from home; i will even take an away game against the Tahs, we should’ve got them earlier this season, the squad would believe they can take them, and with fully fit Beast/Alberts/Deysel our chances go up quite dramatically.

Ideally if we finish 6th, we will most likely travel to Aus in quarters. We finish 5th/4th we will probably end up playing either Bulls or Chiefs. Lets hope we end up playing the Bulls in quarters. Travel should’nt make such a huge difference anyway, look at Highlanders on the weekend…and they played at altitude, so no excuses.

@JJR (Comment 73) : I think our chances of making the playoffs range somewhere between slim and none. If we showed some sort of upward curve, like in 2010 (where we narrowly didn’t make it) but not now. We have no growth – we’re either up or down.

We’ll probably end the season at 7 like we are now.

Comment 75, posted at 02.05.12 15:08:14 by Butchie34

Ok ladies and gents to those who dont understand rugby…here is our best team available.

If the Sharks want to beat the Clan, they should learn to defend. The Stormers tackled them out of the togs in their own backyard. Cheetahs forgot to tackle and paid the price. I am not convinse about the Sharks, their defending is even worse then the Cheetahs in midfield and out wide. Thats the problem, our SA teams should all try and get Nienabers guide to a devensive structure. He can make a few ponde with this.

Comment 77, posted at 02.05.12 15:17:59 by PaarlBok

@Butchie34 (Comment 75) : I understand the negativity, but let’s wait and see how teh guys do against the Highlanders.

9 points from the next 2 games could put us right back into play-off contention.

Comment 78, posted at 02.05.12 15:18:05 by robdylan

@pienaar111 (Comment 76) : this is a man who seems to know what he’s talking about

Comment 79, posted at 02.05.12 15:18:58 by robdylan

@robdylan (Comment 78) : I’ve got a bit of a conflict going on inside of me where part of me wants to be positive with another being really negative.

Unfortunately the more shoddy rugby the guys plan the stronger the negative side of the argument gets.

Comment 80, posted at 02.05.12 15:20:33 by Butchie34

@pienaar111 (Comment 76) : That would be the most balanced loose trio the Sharks could field – and also the best back line available

Personally would prefer Deysel over Kankowski on the bench, and not sure about Hoffman’s fitness at this stage?

Comment 81, posted at 02.05.12 15:23:37 by Bokhoring

I wonder if last weeks Bok training camp will have a positive effect on our players. After all, Meyer was reported to have told each player at the camps exactly where they stand in terms of Bok selection. If he was honest he would have told guys like Bissie, Jannie, Willem etc they need to catch a wake up.
This could turn out good for us!!

@Stu (Comment 82) : The Lions said the same thing and they went from bad to worse. They should get tackle bags this week and practise tackle after tackle after tackle.

Comment 85, posted at 02.05.12 16:21:41 by PaarlBok

@Stu (Comment 82) : I think these guys know they need to catch a wake-up, they just always don’t know how

Comment 86, posted at 02.05.12 16:25:18 by Bokhoring

@Ice (Comment 83) : sort of figured it out…Ludik will play 15..with JPP going back to wing and Jordaan taking up the 13 jersey. I would have picked Gouws at 15. The boy has talent…haven’t seen him tackle though..

Comment 87, posted at 02.05.12 16:26:17 by GreatSharksays

@Stu (Comment 82) : no it won’t! look what happened to the lions, came back from meyer’s camp and played the biggest load of pish ever. very disjointed and unfocused performance!

Comment 88, posted at 02.05.12 16:42:14 by Megatron

When will Sharks ever get a saffa ref on home soil? See we have Steve Walsh this Saturday.

@Megatron (Comment 93) : Don’t be silly Transie, I want a saffa ref so we have a honest and top class ref..

Comment 95, posted at 02.05.12 17:22:26 by Puma

@Megatron (Comment 94) : Saying that I really never want Jonker. He is useless as the kiwi refs.

Comment 96, posted at 02.05.12 17:25:03 by Puma

@Bokhoring (Comment 81) : No out and out 7 and that is called a balance loose trio? Have to have Deysel or Alberts in the loose trio. Our heaviest loosie is Coetzee in that trio, and at 106kg that’s not what you call a blindside flank, Coetzee is actually a great 8th man.

Can you give me a game where The Sharks have played well without a looseforward over 110kg? I’m all for balance, i think that is the most important thing in naming a lineup; but that loosetrio is not balanced, IMO.

Comment 97, posted at 02.05.12 17:33:02 by JJR

@JJR (Comment 97) : Coetzee has done a good job at 6 when called for, but he does not have the skill set of true open sider. He may only weigh 106 kg, but he has made more hard yards and put in more tackles than some of the bigger guys. He can and has done a good job at 7 too.

Botes is the closest we have to an open side and he has shown his worth in the Chiefs game. Also one of the better support players in the Sharks team.

Daniel is actually the most skilled loose forward we have (hence leading Sharks in line breaks and offloads) – I only wish he could be more consistent and improve on his tackle accuracy.

That is why I suggested Deysel on the bench = he could substitute either Coetzee or Botes depending on how the game pans out.

Comment 98, posted at 02.05.12 17:43:57 by Bokhoring

@Bokhoring (Comment 98) : I understand your point of view. But with Deysel and Bissie we have two guys that can fetch really well, even though they not opensides. Also i was surprised that against the Cheifs Botes hardly attacked the breakdown, he has made lots of tackles; it seems he targets the breakdown a lot harder when he comes off the bench, just what i’ve noticed.

So with Deysel and Bissie in the side we can do without (in my opinion), an out and out fetcher. 6.Coetzee 7.Deysel and 8.Keegan will work well, IMO. Although, in the wet weather i would be very tempted to play Coetzee, Deysel and Alberts in the same trio.

Coetzee is a great ball carrier, so i hope he can get his weight up to 110kg in the next year, then i have no problem with him being used as a 7. Although, i think he is a natural 8th man, he has good speed.

Comment 99, posted at 02.05.12 18:13:23 by JJR

Balance …once again a cliché thrown around that cannot be substantiated ,you do not need a short stocky number 6 to fetch. Bismarck fetches, Deysel fetches every player should “fetch”, the role of an open side flank is to hit the breakdown first, usually one has to compromise some size for speed but Coetzee is big and fast so it hasn’t been the case. JJR has a point

Comment 100, posted at 02.05.12 18:27:41 by Talent

People who don’t understand the nuts and bolts of forward play will tell you otherwise. Coetzee works at 6 for the Sharks and he adds some beef to what, without him ,would be a fairly underperforming back row bar Keegan.

@Megatron (Comment 94) : trust me, my view is that there are many SA refs who are far more damaging to the Sharks than Walsh is… not that I’ve forgiven him for his blind moment in 2007, or anything.

Comment 103, posted at 02.05.12 18:37:18 by robdylan

@robdylan (Comment 103) : Can we expect changes in the team for this weekend’s game?

Comment 104, posted at 02.05.12 19:10:44 by GreatSharksays

@JJR (Comment 99) : To be brutally honest. I don’t like what Plum is turning Coetzee into. Don’t like him as a big ball carrier. Loved watching him play in last year’s Vodacom cup at 8th man. He was fast and always looked for a offload in contact. Was beautiful to watch. Now not so much anymore.

Comment 105, posted at 02.05.12 19:31:11 by Ben

@PaarlBok (Comment 85) : They should get Marius Joubert to run at them over and over and over. Oh no wait, Marius isn’t very hard to bring down!

Comment 106, posted at 02.05.12 19:54:38 by Ben

@Talent (Comment 101) : Yes agree, Coetzee at 6 has actually given the loose trio the balance everyone is talking about…On most occasions the 7 is given back up from the 8 in terms of being a Big ball carrier like most number 8′s; but with Keegan or Kanko at 8, one loose forward is gonna have to put in a lot of work to bet us over the advantage line. So with backline weight keegan at 8, having a bigger 6 gives the trio balance.

Comment 107, posted at 02.05.12 20:27:12 by JJR

@Ben (Comment 105) : At 8th man Coetzee was still the main ball carrier in that side u mentioning; it’s up to him weather he looks to offload or not, i don’t think it is Plum, when Coetzee played 7 at Currie Cup i understand his role changed a bit, but now we have Beast, Bissie and Deysel/Alberts in the pack, so he has the freedom to look for the offloads.

Coetzee just needs to be told, he can play a more open game, cos he is not our primary ball carrier like he had to be in the CC last year. Still probably our best ball carrier at the moment, but as you say he can be even more effective if he gets those offloads going.

Comment 108, posted at 02.05.12 20:33:10 by JJR

@JJR (Comment 107) : get us over the advantage line, not bet us over the advantage line

Comment 109, posted at 02.05.12 20:34:40 by JJR

@Talent (Comment 100) : What should the 6 do when he hits the breakdown = surely slow down the opposition ball or even steal it if possible. Can’t recall that I have ever seen Marcel do that successfully

I agree Bismarck and Deysel can both steal ball, but they are usually more effective at close quarters as neither has the speed to roam all over the field. I also agree that all players should be able to turnover ruck ball – but it does help to have someone dedicated playing to the ball.

In any case many teams do play non-fetchers successfully at 6, e.g. Stormers with Kolisi, or Boks with Burger at 6.

The Sharks with Botes, Coetzee and Daniel did manage to keep the Chiefs in check – rather the back line was not up to scratch on the day. Botes and Daniel in tandem did effectively disrupt the Chiefs attack a number of times, while Coetzee did his usual of tackling everything that moves and taking the ball up

Comment 110, posted at 02.05.12 21:19:51 by Bokhoring

i don’t know why everyone is
tripping about fetchers when the
highlanders handled the cheetahs
with heinrich brussow without
employing a fetcher as they
played thomson, haskell & manu.

the sharks’ defensive plan needs to be clear: we tackle low & go
over the top & pilfer or we tackle high, hold em up & blitz over the ensuing ruck.in numbers – a defence specialist would clear these things out & define roles.

highlanders were dumbfounded
playing the stormers as they were not anticipating the stormers plan of shifting the point of breakdown & buying themselves seconds
when it comes to entering the
ruck as the support runners of the tackled player have to get back & enter through the gate thus delaying or risk being pinged for side entry.

@Culling Song (Comment 113) : At this stage I`d be happy with a performance in which he doesn`t hand the opposition the game on a golden platter.
Cause if you want to be realistic, that`s the kind of performance you have to compare him to when you think of MJ and MB.